SCOTLAND’S trade minister has hit out at the UK Government, accusing it of shunning it in talks with Australia ahead of signing its first full post Brexit deal.
Ivan McKee said the Scottish Government had been given no role in the negotiations on tariffs and quotas despite regularly pressing Boris Johnson’s Government for greater involvement. Earlier he revealed he and colleagues from the Welsh and Northern Ireland’s Governments were due to be given details of the deal yesterday morning. But instead he was left to read media briefings on the agreement, tweeting he was “very interested to read so much informed coverage” of the agreement.
McKee claimed: “I was due to be briefed by the UK Gov along with ministers from Wales and NI this morning, but our call has been put back until much later because we were told, ‘not enough of the deal is nailed down’.”
READ MORE: EXPLAINER: Why farmers and consumers are worried about Australian trade deal
Later in a statement released by the Scottish Government McKee attacked the terms of the agreement and said it does not make up for the economic hit caused by leaving the EU. He also raised concerns about standards on Australian food imports. This deal does not even remotely undo the damage to our economy caused by Brexit.
“The UK Government’s own scoping assessment said a deal with Australia would only be worth a 0.02% increase in GDP over 15 years – and that agriculture and semi-processed food sectors would lose out.
“By comparison, the Office for Budget Responsibility estimates that a trade deal with the EU would mean the UK’s GDP would be 4% lower in the long run compared with remaining in the EU,” he said.
“It is essential that we now see a full impact assessment of this deal as well as the detail of the safeguards that the UK Government say are in the deal.”
The UK Government has said British farmers will be protected by a cap on tariff-free imports for 15 years, using tariff rate quotas and other safeguards.
But McKee said this timescale would provide no assurance to the agriculture sector, adding: “Today’s announcement confirms our fears that the UK Government has signed up to a deal that will be damaging for farmers and crofters. A fifteen-year cap on imports will provide no comfort for farming communities, who have looked after the land for generations,” he added. “NFU Scotland has previously said that such a transition period would be ‘wholly unacceptable’.
“We have been clear that any gains must not come at the cost of domestic producers, farming communities or our food standards. The UK Government must explain how our current food standards will be protected.
“We do not know the exact detail of the mobility provisions of this free trade agreement, but they will not make up for the loss of EU free movement. We understand that an agreement in principle will be published in the coming days and will consider this carefully when we see it.”
Deidre Brock, the SNP environment, food and rural affairs spokeswoman at Westminster, said Scotland had been “kept in the dark and not consulted” during discussions with Australian ministers.
READ MORE: SNP rubbish Alister Jack's claim Australia deal is 'huge opportunity' for Scots
“There is no evidence of any meaningful protections to prevent Scottish farmers being undercut on the price and standards of beef, lamb and other produce,” the MP said.
Their comments came as Johnson tweeted “the deal is done” as he insisted British farmers will benefit from new arrangements – the first to be negotiated from scratch since Brexit.
The Prime Minister said it was “good news” for services and manufacturers in the UK, with British products such as cars, Scottish whisky and confectionary set to be cheaper to sell to Australia because of the tariff-free agreement. He and his Australian counterpart Scott Morrison announced the agreement yesterday.
Scottish Secretary Alister Jack said “measures to protect the UK’s agriculture industry and maintain high standards will help Scottish farmers make the most of international opportunities opened up by this deal”.
He said: “Australia is the world’s eighth largest market for Scotch whisky exports, worth £113 million last year.
“The removal of tariffs presents a fantastic opportunity for our iconic distilleries,” he added.
“Scotland’s financial services, manufacturing and pharmaceutical sectors will also receive a boost.”
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